I have a problem that has me perplexed. My driver side rear axle does not want to turn hardly at all. The symptoms I've been having are poor gas mileage, a vibration at high speeds, and very poor performance. I started by changing brakes on the front and then did both rear wheel bearings. The diagnostics I've done are to jack the car up and spin all the wheels. The rear wheels have been harder to spin since I got the car. I changed out the rear wheel bearings hoping to eliminate the problem. The passenger side wheel spins quite freely now, but the driver side is difficult to turn. I took the wheels off and put the car in drive and my ASC went crazy. The pass side was turning but the driver side was not. I then turned trac control off and same result.. I then removed the brake calipers and tried the test again. Again the pass turned and driver did not. I can turn the hub but it is very hard to do even in neutral. I am concerned it may be something in the rear diff. Any input would be appreciated.

 

Check the parking brake.

 

The parking brake is disconnected. I'm now contemplating doing the u joints... I'm working my way back to the diff.

 

Even though it may be disconnected....have you checked the adjustment internally?
The rear hand brake on these cars are shoe operated inside the disc rotors
and adjustment is bt a serated wheel accessable through a hole in the centre
of the disc rotor....it seems to me that the adjustment is too tight.

 

I have the rear shoes completely removed. I wanted to rule that out. There are no brakes at all. I plan to remove the axle and try to spin it with no connection to the diff and see how it works. That way I can for sure rule out the wheel bearing. I know when I first installed the bearing before reinstalling the axle it spun freely. I didn't have the foresight to try and spin it with the axle installed after the new wheel bearings were installed. I'm very confident it is not the wheel bearings though because I replaced both sides and the pass side is fine

 

How well does it spin without the rear calipers installed? Maybe the pistons have frozen in tight.

 

With calipers completely removed and drums removed, also rotors removed it is very difficult to spin. I have not had a chance yet, but I will be trying to remove the axle from the hub and spin it with no axle in. If it is difficult to spin then it may be a bad carrier/hub or faulty wheel bearings. If it spins freely I would assume the resistance is coming from the axle or diff. I will update when I perform said diagnostic test. Thanks for all the input.

 

Did you leave the spacer shim out of the spacer tube assy between the bearings??????

Sometimes it sticks to a bearing and people don't notice it when reinstalling the bearings/spacers.

My guess is too much preload on the bearings. (just a guess)

bob gauff

 

I tend to go along with that assumption Bob....after looking at everything else.

 

Ok so this issue is ongoing still. I bought a used output shaft from a 2003 xj8 and pulled mine out. It didn't seem bad, but I replaced it anyway. The new one did make a difference, however the wheel bearing replacement I did is still giving me grief. I did lose the spacer on the driver side... So I got one from the local dealer and put it on there. Now it still rumbles when driving. When I pull the hub from the carrier and inspect it it all seems together correctly per the diagram. I first put the outer seal on the hub. Then the outer bearing which is unmistakeable because it fits over a thicker part at the front of the hub closest to the lugs. next I put that assembly through the carrier. I then install the spacer, which again only fits one way. It is slightly larger inner diameter on one side which goes toward the outer. Next is the small shim that I forgot last time followed by the inner bearing and abs ring... It feels like before the abs ring is installed there is a little play in the hub going in and out of the carrier. When the hub is more out it spins free, but if you push in on it and spin then it hangs up. Then when the abs ring is installed it tightens everything up and the hub does not spin free. I'm taking the bearings back this week to replace under warranty since I'm sure they are damaged from driving on them. Then I will attempt again using a gauge and measuring... I was hoping it wouldn't be so finicky. If I fail at it again I'm just going to replace the whole carrier with one thats been rebuilt or just a low mileage used one off a parts car. Ugh!

 

The shims come in different sizes. New bearings would almost certainly require a different shim size to attain proper bearing preload. I was able to check this on my car without all the special tools, but a dial indicator was essential.

Same with the pivot pin bearings. (Hub carrier to control arm.)

Changing the half axle will change the camber. Camber is set with shim on inboard axle end.

 

Great advice, and I'm sure that's the issue. I bought the largest shim and I am supposed to measure and it is supposed to be within a certain tolerance. I think .001 or .010 something like that. I read it somewhere. If anyone knows that would be great to post. Anyway after I measure it with the dial indicator ill know how much I'm off. The current shim is a .35 I think. It was the largest one. Thanks for the info TimA

 

I just put the shim that was originally on back on the axle shaft. Those fine thread nuts were hard to find. None of my auto stores carried them. None matched up with the diameter and tpi. They kept trying to sell me these course threaded ones which were visably different.

 

Without a shim assortment and a dial indicator you will never get the bearing preload correct.

If a hub is 'melted/damaged' I always tell people to get a salvage yard hub assy and repack or replace the bearings and INSTALL ALL THE SPACERS/SHIMS FOR THAT HUB BACK INTO THAT HUB.

The hub was setup at the factory by some guy that does that all day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Each hub has a different shim FOR THAT HUB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Going to the dealer and buying some shim is like playing the lottery. The odds are against you getting the lucky number!!!!!!!!!!

Bearings are made to exacting tolerances and most will be so close that the original shim/spacer will work fine. It is the hub that is the variable.

bob gauff

 

Well I have a dial indicator and I'm sure the shim is the largest one. I don't want to play lottery so I will measure and see how much I'm off. Unfortunately I can't find a jag in my area being parted out. I found a guy who will ship the whole thing to me for $130. I just can't spend that much for a used hub assembly. I'll just have to keep looking. Seen a few on eBay for around $100 and a rebuilt one for $250. I'll have to look up the procedure for the assembly again and give it another shot. If I can find out how much the preload is off I should be able to figure out how much smaller shim I need. That would be more economical.

 

Try Jaguar Heaven @ (800) 969-4524. They have come through for me many times.

 

Do you have the proper procedures for checking the preload?

 

When I received my used hub carrier, they didn't send the pivot bearing shims, and the pivot bearings (roller part) were rusted. I used my old pivot bearings (in good condition) and checked the preload with my old shims. They were about .003" too thick, so I was able to use a diamond hone to thin them down a little to get the proper preload. The hub bearings were okay, so I cleaned them, put it back together to check preload (it was good), took it back apart, greased and re-assembled. Still need to get the alignment checked.

 

Ok, so I got 2 used carriers off ebay for $200. They came with the hubs installed and the guy even greased the bearings before he sent them. I had trouble getting the axle to go all the way in the driver side hub. the Axle nut would only go on about half way... After hours of fiddling with it I got it to slide in completely. I don't know why it was hanging up... It felt like the ABS ring was bottoming out against the axle. Anyhow when removing the pass rear I discovered that my U joint at the end of the axle went out and was making a horrible noise. I ordered a new u joint for $20 and should have it this week. It has just been one issue after another. Hopefully I can get a week out of it this time!!

 

If anyone has the procedure for checking preload it would be great to post it here... For future reference if anyone else ever needs to change their rear wheel bearings. Thanks again for all the help and advice everyone!!